The Beginning of the End: Dawn of the Walkers
by AngelKitty35
Summary: James Thornson must get his siblings and himself to California in order to get back to their mother. Meeting Rick Grimes gave him hope that even apart families can be reunited. On their journey the Thornsons learned that friends, enemies and true love can be found in the apocalypse. Rated: M for Strong Language and Sexual Language. My story will be slightly different than the show.
1. Chapter 01(Northshore Resort)

_**Chapter One**_

 _ **Northshore Resort**_

 _ **Starring:**_

 _ **Shaniqua Cooper**_ _ **and**_ _ **Courtney Jennings**_

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 _ ***This chapter is dedicated to my Mom(Shaniqua Cooper) who loved my FB about my story and one of my good friends(Courtney Jennings) who laughed to see what would happened to her if I were to put her in my story. Tell me what you think and if you're just going to be an arsehole you can keep it pushin'! THANKS! AngelKitty out.**_

* * *

A dark skinned woman with the uniform and armor of the US Army, an Assault Rifle RN in her hands as she looked out at the ocean from her station on the wall. Her dark red hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her green eyes narrowed in thought. Captain Sasha Copland, protector of Northshore Resort and Poseidon. Mother of the young man that founded, help rebuild, and reinforce the tourist attractions they renamed "Northshore" and Poseidon.

"Captain." A young beautiful brunette haired woman called.

"Jenkins."

"Everything is secure, ma'am. Even Poseidon." Jenkins replied.

"No cracks?" Sasha asked.

The young woman chuckled. "Shatterproof, ma'am."

Sasha cleared her throat, which stopped the brunette's chuckling.

"Permission to speak freely, Captain?" Jenkins asked with her hands behind her back.

"Never stopped you before, Jenkins." Sasha retorted.

"I'm starting to lose hope." Jenkins admitted, causing Sasha to look at the young woman. "What if-"

"Chole," Sasha said in a motherly tone. "you can't think like that."

"How can I not?" Jenkins questioned. "We've lost **Helen, Latavier, and Randon** ," she named off. "What if I-"

"Hey," Sasha said softly, plancing the young woman's shoulders. " _ **they**_ did not listen to me and look what happened. They're Walkers now, outside of those gates are the shell of those we once called "friends". As along as you listen to me, you'll be fine."

Jenkins stood straight and saluted her captain. Sasha dismissed her and turned back around to watch the waves curl upon the shore.

"Mom?"

She didn't have to turn around to know it was her son, James. The founder and leader of Northshore Resort. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked her son. "You're ready to risk your life for complete strangers?"

"Mom," James sighed. "We've been over this. I gotta get Jo, she's still in Georgia."

"Georgia?" Sasha repeated, turning to face her son. "What the fuck is she doing there?"

"Bonnefoy." James spat.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Makes sense now. Helping that asshole with his work again? When will se ever learn?"

"So, can I trust you to look after everything while we're gone?" James asked Sasha.

"We?" Sasha asked with a raised eyebrow. "Who's we?"

"Me, Tiny and Ana."

Sasha shook her head. "No."

"Mom."

"No!" Sasha said louder. "You can't take the girls, Jay! They're only thirteen!"

"That's not your call." James told her sternly. "Besides, they want to go."

Sasha gave her son that "What Did You Just Say To Me, Boy?" look, making James fear for his life on the inside. But he stayed strong and stern on the outside. Sasha let it go.

"I'll go." Sasha said. "I'll go instead so you three don't have to leave."

"No way, mom." James said with a shake of his head. "I need you here. The twins can't take care of this place like you, and I trust you more than them. You rule with a firm grip, while the girls would let the others walk all over them."

Sasha huffed and turned her back to her son. "Fine. If that's what you want. You leave at dawn."

When it was time for James and his twin sisters to leave, there was a car packed with supplies in the back. Sasha and her unit was by the car, armed with their rifles.

"Mom!" Tiny called, running to the woman.

Sasha hugged the teenager, the other two came in for a group hug. Sasha pulled away and willed her tears to stay away.

"We packed you with enough food, water, clothes, and gas to get you to Georgia." Sasha told James. "Your main priority is getting your sister out of there. Once you get there, head to the old radio tower and contact Andrew. He finds survivors and bring them here, he will give you what you need to get back or give you a ride back. Choice is yours, but you _must_ come back."

James nodded. "We will."

Sasha placed kisses on her children's foreheads. "Be safe and stay with each other. Always."

"Yes ma'am." The twins said in unison.

Sasha smiled at her girls as she watched them and her son get into the car. James started the car up and gave his mom the thumbs up. Sasha looked over at Jenkins.

"Stay at my side at all times," Sasha ordered Jenkins, "Am I clear?"

"Crystal, Ma'am!"

Sasha's facial expression went serious. She spun around to address her unit.

"Men!" Sasha called, authority in her tone. "Protect the them from the Walkers!" Sasha shouted. "And make sure none get inside!

"Ma'am!" Her unit shouted.

She gestured to the two men from her unit who were at the gates of Northshore, they reconized the gesture and nodded, they quickly opened the gates as James revved the engine. The sounds of the Walkers always made Sasha's skin crawl, growling and snarling, she hated it. Her and men started shooting them down. Not missing a shot. Sasha on the front lines, shooting any Walker that tried to get too close to the car and too close to the gates. The blue Escalade zoomed away from the gates of Northshore.

"Round them up, boys!" Sasha ordered.

"Yes Ma'am!"

The men started using poles to push the dead back. Jennings ran forward to help them, Sasha called out to her. Sasha quickly grabbed a Walker by it's arm and hip tossed it to the ground before giving its head a good stomp. Sasha made her way to the front of her men and kicked a Walker into the group of those soulless beasts, making them stumble back.

"Now!" Sasha cried.

The gates were pushed closed and nothing but still undead bodies around them. Sasha gained her composure quickly before turning to address her unit.

"Good job, men." Sasha praised. "I'll call unit 4 to come for the bodies."

"Captain." One of her men called.

Three men moved out of the way to see that Chloe Jenkins didn't make it, her eyes were open, mouth slightly gaped and her throat had a chunk ripped out of it. Her hair was soaked in her own blood. Sasha knelt next to Jenkins body and balled her fists.

"Dammit, Chloe!" Sasha hissed angrily. "Dammit!"

Sasha made her way to the deceased woman. "Didn't I tell you to listen to me? Didn't I? What am I suppose to tell her now?"

Sasha got up and looked down at Jenkins lifeless body, pulled out her handgun and aimed it right at Jenkins' head.

"You should've listened."

The sound of a single gunshot rung throughout Northshore.


	2. Chapter 02(Days Gone Bye)

**_DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Walking Dead (If I did things would've been hella different), all rights belong to Robert Kirkman_** , ** _Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. I DO own the OCs you may find in this story. Blah Blah Blah. I hate disclaimers, they're just so sad. I've updated this chapter and probably will later chapters, we'll see. PRONOUNCING NAMES: TANEISE (tah-niece), ANIESE(_** _ **an-eye-ees**_ ** _), and ANJOLINA(ann-joe-leena) that is for those who will pronounce it as ANGELINA. It's a mashup of Angelina Jolie's name. LET'S READ._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter Two_**

 ** _Days Gone Bye_**

 _ **James**_

I looked around before going inside of the pharmacy. I pulled out my scythe like sword, Ebony, as I crept down the aisle. Not a Walker in sight and for that I was grateful. I silently jumped over the counter and started grabbing the meds and anything that looked useful. I took another three minutes to make sure I had everything we needed. Shadow, my all white Husky, let out a whined yawn.

"I know, buddy." I told him as I patted the top of his head. "We're leaving."

 _ **"Almost done in there?"**_

I quickly pushed the button on my earpiece to answer Ana.

"Yep." I replied in a whisper. "Why the rush, you in trouble out there?"

 _ **"It's hot as fuck up here!"** _ Ana complained.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm done anyways, so you can stop your bitching."

 _ **"I wouldn't be bitching if you weren't moving so damn slow."**_

"I'm coming out. Radio Tiny and tell her to wrap it up." I ordered.

 _ **"She's already done and waiting on you, grandpa."**_

"Fuck you, bitch." I hissed.

I slung the bag over my shoulder, grabbed Shadow's leash and made my way outta the and of the pharmacy. A whistle caught my attention, I looked up towards Point 4 which in on top of a clothes store. Ana waved at me and pointed down, I rolled my eyes knowing that my other sister was in there "shopping" for clothes...again. I hoisted the bag of meds higher and marched towards the clothes store with Shadow trotting beside me. I opened the door to see Tiny stuffing things into a bag.

"Find anything, Drama Mama?" I asked with a smirk as me and Shadow stopped behind her.

"Yep. Clean clothes for everyone." Tiny replied without looking up. "Even Morgan's cranky ass."

I chuckled as I shook my head. Tiny and Morgan had been bumping heads since the first day we met. I watched my purple haired sister for a few minutes, it almost felt like the world hasn't gone to shit.

"We should get back before it gets too late." I told her.

Tiny sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Can't leave Jo for long, she'll start to worry...like always." She muttered as she quickly zipped up the overstuffed backpack.

She smiled down at Shadow and patted his head before walking past me, she picked up the two duffle bags. I touched my earpiece.

"Move out, Ana." I ordered.

 _ **"Roger."**_

Tiny and I rushed out of the store, we pressed out backs against the heated brick wall and swiftly shimmied towards the corner. I peeped around the corner to see if the coast was clear, two Walkers fell to the ground. Dead for good. Ana jumped down from the building and onto the closed stop of a dumpster, she retrieved her arrows, wiped them off, and stuck them back into her quiver. She bent down to pet Shadow before standing straight and quickly pulled her long box braids into a high ponytail, before grabbing an arrow.

"Ready?" Ana asked us.

I gave her a simple nod and she turned around, bow up, string pulled back, and arrow at the ready. Tiny and I followed behind her with out weapons at the ready.

It's always been like this. Stopping at the next town or city, getting whatever gas we can find and supplies. Since hearing that broadcast from Atlanta a small ray of hope filled every last one of us, I attend to get us there in one piece if it's the last thing I do. I got us out of Socorro safely and I'll get us to Atlanta safely. No body fucks with my family.

I sighed happily at my baby. A blue 2010 Cadillac Escalade ESV, shining in the sunlight, looking at beautiful and shit. I stopped eye raping my car and got so we can hurry back to the others.

"Can we listen to some music?" Tiny asked me from the backseat.

"No." I replied sternly.

Tiny huffed in annoyance and folded her arms, turning her angry gaze out the window. I quickly glanced in the rearview mirror to see Ana going through the bags of supplies we just looted from the town. I looked back at the road.

"Did we get everything?" I asked Ana.

"And then some," she replied happily, "this should last us a good minute."

"You hear that, Shadow?" I asked my loveable mutt.

Shadow barked happily in response. I reached over and scratched under his chin.

"Who's a good puppy? Who's a good puppy?" I cooed in a baby like voice.

I could hear Shadow's tail thump against the leather seat.

"Watch the fucking road!" Tiny snapped.

"I am!" I snapped back as I placed my hand back on the wheel. "I just reached over to show my puppy wuppy some love."

Tiny let out a disgusted scoff and I could basically hear her eyes roll. Sometimes I wonder if we were really related. The rest of the ride back was in silence. After an hour of driving, I pulled up in the safe house to see Morgan and Duane looking down at a body of the ground.

"Stay near the car." I ordered my sisters as I parked the car and jumped out, gun at the ready.

"What happened?!" I asked in a panic as I ran over to them.

I stood beside Morgan and looked down at the body. It was a man, a white man. He was still breathing.

"Was he bit?" I asked Morgan.

"Not sure," the Georgian man said. "He passed out before I could get an answer outta him. It didn't help none that Duane knocked him upside his head with a shovel."

I shook my head. "Dammit Duane." I muttered.

"Might as well let Jo determine if he's been bit or not." Star said.

I nodded in agreement. "My nerd ass sister."

"Duane," Tiny called. "can you help us, please?"

"Go on now." Morgan said to his son. "Help the girls out."

"Can you get Shadow out of the car too, D?" I asked the kid.

"Sure." He told me with a smile.

"Thanks, best buddy!" I called after him.

Duane nodded and jogged towards the car to help the girls. I turn to Morgan and gestured towards the fainted man. I grabbed his legs and Morgan hooked his arms up under the man's arms, on three we lifted him up and quickly carried him inside before any Walkers show up.

"Incoming!" I called out to Jo.

Jo looked up from her book, her eyes wide as she shot up from the couch. Nanook, a black and white Husky, stayed asleep when he's owner stood up abruptly.

"What happened?" She asked as she followed us towards the bedroom.

"Don't know," I answered. "Duane knocked him out."

Jo grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room. "Jay, are you sure you want me to do this?" she asked. "Being a doctor was not my dream profession, I can kill this man if I do something wrong."

I placed my hands on her shoulders. "You got this," I assured her. "you helped that asshole fiancé of yours study and pass his mid-terms*. You got this."

Her eyes searched mine, she hung her head a bit and let out a stress filled sigh.  
Duane and the twins walked in with the bags and placed them on the floor. Morgan started going through the ammo and the guns Aniese managed to find. Aniese went through the food and pulled out a pack of red meat.

"Looks like we're having stew!" Aniese said in a sing song tone.

"Morgan," Tiny called, "I brought you and Duane some clothes."

"I'll take a look at him." Jo said in a business tone. "Did you get the things I asked for?"

"Yeah," I replied holding out the medical bag." Here ya go."

Jo thanked me as she took the back and walked away from me and disappearing into the room. Hours had passed and still nothing. Jo came out to change water in the basin, she asked for Morgan's help, they went into the room and closed the door behind them. I sat on the couch, cleaning my gun for the seventh time. Tiny is in the kitchen cooking up dinner. Aniese is flipping through an old magazine while singing in a whisper. Shadow and Nanook laid under the boarded up window, sleeping. The door opened and Jo walked calmly into the living room. I stood up.

"Well?" I asked. "Was it a bite?"

"He was shot." Jo replied.

Star rose her left eyebrow. "Shot?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Jo replied. "he told us himself."

My eyes widened. "He's awake?" I asked, not believing it.

Jo nodded and gestured me with her hand to follow her. I followed my older sister into the room just in time to see Morgan pull out his switchblade and hold it in front of the man's face.

"Take a moment, look how sharp it is." Morgan said as the man leans his head away from the knife. "You try anything, I will kill you with it and don't you think I won't."

"Is that really necessary, Morgan?" Jo asked. She frowned and folded her arms against her chest. "Cut him loose, yeah?"

"Whatever you say, doc." he says. He cuts the bungee cords that kept the man bound to the bed. His switchblade clicks letting everyone in the room know that the blade was but away.

"Come on out when you're able." Morgan told the man, he glanced over at his son who held a wooden bat. "Come on." he said to Duane.

Jo sat on the bed next to the guy's hip, she reached to touch his forehead. The guy jerked his head back, making Jo's hand freeze in mid air.

"Easy, stranger. I just want to check your temperature." she said in a tone that seemed to work, the guy relaxed and she placed her hand on his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she asked

"Sore." The man replied.

"Mm." Jo hummed in thought as she flipped her hand over. "Your fever is down, that's good. I did what I could, you should take it easy."

The man nodded and Jo stood up, gave him a small smile before leaving me in there with him.

"Hey man, "I greeted lazily as I walked over to the bed. "I'm James, call me Jay."

I held my hand out to him, he glanced at my hand before reaching out and grabbing my hand and gave my hand a firm shake.

"Rick Grimes."

I nodded, liking his name. "Well, Mr. Rick Grimes." I started. "I'm actually glad you didn't die."

Rick rose his eyebrow at my statement. I chuckled an folded my arms.

"You seem like a pretty cool dude." I told him. "And I'm a pretty good judge of character."

I waved my hand before walking out of the room. The sounds of a ladle scraping the metal pot, the gentle smell of beef stew fills the room. Duane hummed as he rubbed his stomach and tells Morgan about how he can't wait to eat the stew. Rick came out of the room covered in a blanket as Jo and Aniese were setting the table. I watched as Rick looked around.

"This place – Fred and Cindy Drakes'?" Rick wondered out loud.

"Never met 'em." Morgan said as he sat down at the table.

"I've been here. This is their place." Rick said as he still looked around.

"It was empty when we got here." Morgan said, sounding offended.

Rick walked over to the covered window he reached out to pull some of the covering away.

"Don't do that." Morgan told him, causing him to drop his hand. "They'll see the light. There's more of them out there than usual."

"Probably because you shot that Walker today." Jo said as she placed two dog bowls filled of stew on the floor.

"Right," Morgan agreed. "I never should've fired that gun today. Sound draws them. Now they're all over the street. Stupid – using a gun. But it all happened so fast, I didn't think." Morgan sat at the head of the table.

Rick walked away from the window and towards the table. "You shot that man today." Rick said to Morgan.

Morgan shrugged. "Man?" he repeated.

"It weren't no man." Duane butted in.

Morgan gave Duane a disapproving look. "What the hell was that out of your mouth just now?" he asked his son.

"It wasn't a man." Duane corrected himself.

"You shot him in the street out front – a man." Rick insisted.

"Friend, you need glasses." Morgan said to Rick. "It was a Walker."

"You should come and sit down," Jo told Rick. "You should be on bed rest."

Rick sits next to Aniese who smiled up at the man, he gave her a weak smile before looking down at the stew in front of him. Jo sat down at the table, the dogs hungrily ate their food, not caring that it was steaming hot.  
"Daddy, blessing." Duane reminded Morgan.

"Yeah." Morgan agreed as he looked over at Rick.

"This isn't high school, Morgan." Jo said as she held my hand. "Stop glaring at him."

Duane takes his father's hand and Morgan puts his hand on one of Rick's. Jo reaches out for Rick's other hand. Rick hesitated. Jo looks at him with a patient smile. Rick put down the spoon and takes Jo's offered hand. We all bow their heads. I could feel the daggers Morgan was sending Rick, I opened one eye to see Morgan giving Rick this look that could kill.

"Lord, we thank thee for this food, thy blessings, "Morgan started as he kept looking at Rick. "And we ask you to watch over us in these crazy days. Amen."

"Amen." We all muttered before we starting digging into the stew. The beef broth was smooth, meat cooked to perfection, and the vegetables tasted as if they were picked right out of a garden.

"Good job, Tiny." I praised my little sister. "Might have to make you into the groups' cook."

Tiny rolled her eyes, but smiled at the praise. Everyone else gave her praise of finding the meat and making dinner.

"Hey, mister," he called to Rick. "you even know what's going on?"

We all looked at Rick who looked up with his spoon in his mouth, his blue eyes wide when he noticed us staring at him expectantly. Tiny and Ana laughed at him saying how cute he looked. Rick's face turned red at the girls' comment, he cleared his throat.

"I woke up today in the hospital, came home, that's all I know." Rick told us.

Morgan and I glanced at each other before looking back at the man. "But you know about the dead people, right?" Morgan asked.

Rick nodded. "Yeah, I saw a lot of that out on the loading dock, piled in trucks."

Morgan gave a short shake of his head. "No, not the ones they put down. The ones they didn't– the walkers, like the one I shot today. 'Cause he'd have ripped into you, tried to eat you, taken some flesh at least."

I noticed the look on Rick's face. "You really didn't know." I said as I watched as Rick shook his head.

"Well, I guess if this is the first you're hearing it, I know how it must sound." Morgan said as he continued to stare at Rick.

Rick gestured towards the window. "They're out there now?" He asked. "In the street?"

"Yeah." Morgan replied with a nod. "They get more active after dark sometimes. Maybe it's the cool air or-" he trailed off for a second. "Hell, maybe it's just me firing that gun today. But we'll be fine as long as we stay quiet. Probably wander off by morning."

Rick scooped some stew in his spoon. Jo and I looked at one another. It seemed like Morgan was warming up to Rick a bit. Morgan folded his hands and placed them by his chin.

"But listen," he called, getting Rick's attention. "one thing I do know- don't you get bit. I saw your bandage and that's what we were afraid of.

"They're bites kill you." Tiny said before shoving her spoon in her mouth.

"The fever burns you out." Ana added after pulling her spoon out of her mouth.

"But then after a while…you come back." Morgan finished, looking away from Rick.

I placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder and gave it a comforting pat, he nodded in thanks.

"Seen it happen." Duane added, causing Rick to look at the boy. Duane looks down sadly.

"Oh sweetie." Jo said as she brushed her thumb across the kid's cheek.

Morgan squeezes his arm and smiles at Duane. "Come on."

Everyone continue to eat in silence. It was a few hours after dinner, me and Morgan were on night duty. Shadow laid by my chair, sleeping heavily. Nanook slept at the foot of Jo and the twins' mattress. I glanced down at my watch, I was around one-thirty in the morning. Duane and the girls were asleep. Tiny muttering in her sleep was something all of us had gotten used to. I sat in a chair, checking my custom made scythe*. Keeping it clean and making sure it still works properly. Leaning up against the wall by the dining room, Morgan sat on the mattress he and Duane share. Across the room Rick lay on a bed made of couch cushions. Still wrapped in that blanket. The sounds of the chirping crickets filled the silence in the room.

"I realize," Rick spoke up. "I don't know a thing about you, James."

I looked up from my scythe to see Rick staring at me. "Well, my name is James Thornson and those are my sister Anjolina Ellison, Taneise and Aniese Thornson. And yes, we have the same mother and father." I said. "The white Husky is Shadow, he's my best friend. And the other Husky is Nanook, Jo's spoiled mutt." I asked.

"Where did you come from?" He asked. I could tell he was genuinely curious. "You don't seem like you're from Georgia at all."

I chuckled. "Nah. I was born in Texas, but the accent is from living in Socorro all majority of my life."

"Socorro?

"New Mexico." I said as I continued to clean my weapon.

"What made you come to Georgia?" Rick asked.

"Had to come get my nerdy sister." I gestured towards Jo. "Besides, me and my family went to California after the world went to shit."

"California?" Rick repeated," Why California?"

"Army said it was a safe haven." I replied. "Turned out to be a bunch of bullshit. The place was overrun with Walkers. Me and a few others found this hotel resort on a beach, built a concrete fence around it. Reinforced doors. Even had a building underwater, which we use incase the resort ever gets overran with Walkers or bandits."

"Smart man." Rick complimented.

"Why thank you very much." I said with a grin.

"Why are you here if you and your family were safe?" Rick asked.

I looked over at my sleeping sister. "Jo."

"The doctor?" Rick questioned.

I looked back at him. "She's not really a doctor," I admitted. "But, yeah, Jo was here in Georgia with her fiancé who was a doctor. But he's dead now... I hope." I explained.

"Now they're travelin'," Morgan butted in. "searchin' for people in need of refuge."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Morgan." I said sarcastically.

"Who is lookin' after your people?" Rick asked, "You must've left someone in charge."

"My mom." I replied proudly.

"Your mother?" Rick repeated questioningly.

"I wouldn't trust any other." I told him.

Rick nodded with a look that told me that he understood.

"If I find my family-"

"When." I corrected Rick.

He gave a grateful nod. "When I find my family. Do you think we could-"

"Hell yeah, man." I replied, cutting him off again. "My man Andrew is waiting in Atlanta for us with a rig and an empty container. I offered Morgan, but he rudely declined."

Morgan chuckled. "I did not, you little liar." He joked. "Georgia is our home. I'm sure there are other safe havens out there."

Rick quietly thanked me and I grinned at him. It was quiet for another hour.

"Carl-" Morgan said, causing Rick to look over at him "he your son?" he asked.

Rick looked confused on how Morgan could have known that his son was named Carl.

"Well, you – you said his name today." Morgan told Rick, curing the man's confusion.

"He's a little younger than your boy." Rick said.

"And he's with his mother?" Morgan asked.

Rick let out a deep quiet sigh. "I hope so."

"Dad?" Duane called, sleep still in his voice.

Morgan looked down at the half sleep Duane. "Hey." He said as he placed his hand on his son's head.

"Did you ask him?" Duane asked.

I smiled. "Oh yeah, I forgot about the bet." I quietly exclaimed, "I'm gonna win though." I said getting a grin outta Duane.

Morgan chuckled before looking up at Rick, smiling a bit. "Your gunshot?" he said getting Rick's attention. "The three of us got a little bet going. Jay says you're a cop. My boy says you're a bank robber."

Rick laughed quietly. "Yeah, that's me," Rick joked. "deadly as Dillinger. Kapow!" he added.

I laughed along with Morgan.

"Sheriff's Deputy" Rick said as he leaned back against the couch.

"Uh huh." Morgan said, sounding like he didn't believe Rick.

"Called it!" I quietly exclaimed. "You guys owe me pennies." I said in a singsong voice, causing Morgan to shake his head.

"Pennies?" Rick questioned.

"I'm making copper bullets and I need pennies." I told him with an innocent smile. "I'm a weird one, I know."

Rick chuckled and shook his head at me. Ahhh, warms my heart to make people laugh and smile. The sudden blaring of a car alarm made me jump out my seat, Duane and the girls jerked out of their sleep. Morgan reached out for Duane who shot up from his sleep.

"Hey. It's okay. Daddy's here." he told Duane. "It's nothing. One of them must have bumped a car." He told Rick.

"Are you sure?" Rick asked as he looked towards the window.

"It happened once before. It went on for a few minutes." He said getting to his feet. "Get the light, Duane."

Shadow and Nanook growled and barked loudly. I quickly bopped them on the nose with Ana's magazine. "Bad dogs!" I scolded in a harsh whisper. "You wanna be Walker chow? Cut your shit!"

They whined and backed away from me. Yeah, they knew what they did.

"Jay." Tiny murmured.

"It's okay." I told her. "Jo."

"On it." Jo said, grabbing her Sniper Rifle, she clicked her tongue to get the dogs to follow her. Good, because I was gonna kill them.

Rick, Morgan, and myself got up while Duane turned down the lantern light. Rick turned down the second one. The car alarm continued to go off, getting the attention of the Walkers. Morgan goes to the bay window at the front of the house. It's boarded up loosely then covered with blankets to keep in the light. He carefully pulled them apart and peers outside. He stood aside for Rick. The street outside is crowded with shambling shuffling corpses. Several of them walk toward a late model sedan; its lights flash in time with the alarm that had startled Duane and the girls.

"It's the blue one, on the street." Morgan pointed out. "The same one as last time. I think we're okay."

"That noise- won't it bring more of them?" Rick asked.

"Nothing we can do about it now." Morgan said as Duane walked in between him and Rick. "Just have to wait 'em out till morning."

Duane looked out the window like the rest of us, it was more of then than usual tonight. Just like Morgan said. Hopefully we can wait 'em out.

Duane gasped. "She's here." He announced.

A walker that used to be a very attractive woman walked toward the house. I recognized her.

"Jenny..." I whispered, mostly to myself. The sickly woman was so nice to us and she treated the twins like little princesses before she died. She was a good woman.

"Don't look." Morgan told Duane. "Get away from the windows. I said go. Go on."

Reluctantly Duane left the window and flops on the bed, sobbing loudly. Morgan goes over to him, not just to comfort him, but to make sure his cries aren't heard by the walkers outside.

"Duane, Duane, quiet now. "Morgan whispers. "Come on, quiet now. Shh shh."

"Jay?" Tiny called in a whisper.

"It's okay," I assured her again. "They just bumped the car."

"Ours?" Ana asked.

"No." I replied. "Try to go back to sleep. You're gonna need it."

Ana nodded and laid back down. Tiny gave me this look before laying back down as well. Rick left the window for the front door. He starts looking out the peep hole. Morgan sat on the bed with Duane laying in his lap unable to stop crying. Morgan picks up one of Duane's pillows.

"It's okay. Here, cry into the pillow. Do you remember? Shh shh."

The doorknob started turning which caused Rick to slowly back away as quietly as he could, back to his spot. He quietly lowered himself back on the cushions.

"She, um…" Morgan started, getting everyone's attention. "She died in that other room on that bed in there. There was nothing I- I could do about it. That fever, man, her skin gave off heat like a furnace."

Morgan sniffed as Duane let out a small sob. Jo came down the stairs and into the living room and walked over to me.

"I'll keep point until the walkers have moved on." She whispered.

I nodded in agreement. She turned to go back upstairs, but not before giving Morgan a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"I should've- I should've put her down, man. I should've put her down. I know that, but I – You know what? I just didn't have it in me." Morgan wiped his eyes. "She's the mother of my child."

Poor Morgan. I haven't seen him cry like that since his wife died. I watched as he wiped his eyes, trying to stay will away his tears.

"We should get some sleep," I suggested. "Jo will be watching over us for the rest of the night. We got work to do tomorrow, so we'll need as much rest as we can get."

The doorknob continued to rattle as the Walker kept turning it. It was gonna be a long night. I watched as everyone in the living room was passed out, this was the first time I saw Morgan with his guard down. He must really trust Jo. I yawned as I made my over to the mattress where Tiny and Ana slept, pushed Ana over so I had room to crash. And that's exactly what I did when my head hit the pillow.

* * *

 ** _Morning_**

Jo, the twins, and I packed our things. It was time for us to move around and find others. We had to get back to California soon, I knew that I didn't have to worry while I left Moms in charge. The woman is Captain of our own army and a mother of four, so she's experienced in authority. I know without a doubt that she knew what she was doing and she's an bad ass fighter, so that left me at ease. We all left out of the Drake's house, Shadow and Nanook stretched before trotting down the porch steps. We all agreed to head over to Rick's house so he could get something. All the Walkers are gone except one lying against the picket fence.

"Are we sure they're dead?" Rick asked in a whisper, as he stepped out on the porch. "I have to ask at least one more time."

"They dead," Morgan answered in a whisper, "except for something in the brain. That's why it's got to be the head."

Rick approached the Walker. It became aware of Rick's presence, got up and started making its way towards Rick. Hissing and growling.

"Shadow. Nanook." I called, "Maneuver 12!" I ordered.

The dogs went to the sides of the walker and bit down on the pants legs and started to pull, the Walker couldn't advance any further. Mom trained our dogs well. Rick quickly hit the Walker in the head over and over with a baseball bat. After The Walker was killed Rick fell to his knees with a pain filled grunt. Jo rushes to his side and I hummed the 007 theme song in my head for shits and giggles. She places her hand over Rick's wound and was whispering harshly at him, probably scolding him. She's pretty good at that.

"Y'all all right?" Morgan asked Rick.

Rick was breathing heavily, looked like he was about to puke at any minute. "I need a moment." he answered as Nanook licked his face.

Short minutes, Rick was up and walking again. He led us all to his house, when we got inside Rick dropped the riot mask on the floor and continued into what looked like the dining room. I made Shadow and Nanook stay outside and went inside.

"They're alive-" Rick said before glancing back at Morgan, "my wife and son. At least they were when they left."

"How can you know?" Morgan asked. "By the look of this place-"

"I found empty drawers in the bedroom." Rick said as he fully looked at Morgan. "They packed some clothes. Not a lot, but enough to travel."

"You know anybody could've broken in here and stole them clothes, right?" Morgan pointed out.

Tiny looked around the room "Did they take the photos too?" I asked sarcastically.

"Exactly!" Rick exclaimed as he opened up a cabinet. "Our photo albums, family pictures- all gone."

Morgan had a laughing smile on his face. "Photo albums." He laughed as he sat down on a chair at the table. "My wife- same thing. There I am packing survival gear; she's grabbing photo alb-"

Jo and I glanced at each other, she left my side to place a hand on Morgan's shoulder. Giving it a gentle squeeze. Tiny and Ana held each other's hands tightly.

"They're in Atlanta, I bet." Duane said as he walked towards his father.

"That's right." Morgan agreed.

"Why there?" Rick questioned, confused.

"Refugee center." Jo answered.

"Yeah. A huge one they said," Morgan added, "before the broadcast stopped. Military protection, food, shelter. They told people to go there, said it'd be safest."

"Plus they got that disease place." Duane added.

"The Center for Disease Control." All of us except Duane and Rick said, correcting the boy on his mistake. Duane rolled his eyes.

"Said they were working out how to solve this thang." Morgan added.

Rick walked to the kitchen, I could hear the jingle of keys. Rick came marching out of the kitchen.

"Follow me." He said.

* * *

 _ **Police Station**_

We followed Rick in our Escalade while he rode with Morgan and Duane, he led us to the police station where he used to work at. Rick unlocked the door and opened it, the place was dark. We entered cautiously. Rick leading the way with a flash light. He followed him in deeper until we ended up in the Sherriff's Department locker room where Rick turns the squeaky knobs to one of the showers, the pipes groan from not being used in a while. The water comes out clean and strong.

"Gas lines have been down for maybe a month." Morgan informed Rick.

"The station's got its own propane system." Rick told Morgan, he put his hand under the water. "Pilot's still on."

"Thank god!" I praised as I looked up at the ceiling. "Thank you for creating those smart guys that discovered propane."

Rick chuckled. "Ladies, if you leave out of this room and hit a left there's the woman's locker room."

"Thanks, Rick." The girls said in unison before skipping out of the room.

"Thanks." Jo said with a nod as she grabbed Nanook by his collar and dragged him out of the room.

"Let's bathe our asses, shall we?" I asked as I took off my shirt.

As the four of us bathed, the room smelled like Old Spice...might have to snatch that bottle. Love me some Old Spice. I made sure to bathe Shadow because he smelled like stale corn chips and stank ass.

"Whoo Hoo!" Duane whooped.

"Oh my Lord!" Morgan exclaimed, causing the shaving Rick to smile a laughing smile and me to laugh.

"Hot water!" Duane sung.

"Ah! That feels good, right?" Morgan asked laughing.

Duane started spontaneously rapping. "Bring it around, bring it. Bring it around, bring it around uh uh. Yeah, I'm wet. Take that. What? Whoo!"

After our shower Morgan and Rick sit on a locker room bench. All three are in towels while I was dressed in clean clothes and ready to go. I was using a towel to run Shadow dry.

"Duane," Rick called as the boy started to walk by, he handed him some folded clothes, "dressing room back there.

Duane nodded and started to leave the room.

"What do you say, Duane?" Morgan asked, looking up at his son with raised brows.

"Thank you." Duane simply said before leaving the room.  
"Mm-hmm." Morgan hummed in approval.

Duane closed the door.

"Hurry up, grandpas." I joked. "Daylight's a burnin'!" I placed Shadow's collar back on, his name tag jingled as it hit the metal part of his dark blue collar.

"Do you ever shut your mouth, Jay?" Morgan asked with no hint of irritation.

"Not really," I said with a smile. "In this crazy world you need some sort of laughter.

Morgan chuckled. "My heart goes out to your sisters." he joked.

"Pfft." I waved off his comment. "They're used to it."

I bent over to tie the boot laces. Das Boots!

"Atlanta sounds like a good deal." Rick said. "Safer anyway – people."

"That's where we were headed." Morgan told me. "Things got crazy. Man, you wouldn't believe the panic. Streets weren't fit to be on. And then my –my wife couldn't travel. No, not with her hurt. So we had to find a place to lay low. And then after she died," he looked down. "we just stayed hunkered down. I guess we just froze in place."

"Plan to move on?" Rick asked him.

Haven't worked up to it yet." Morgan replied while putting on his shirt.

After they got dressed, we headed towards the women's locker room and I kicked it. "You bitches ain't ready yet?"

The door opened violently and I stared down at Tiny, she glared up at me. She muttered something before pushing past me.

"What's her deal?" I asked Ana.

"We fought over the last of our body wash." Ana replied. "I won."

"Huh," I said as I folded my arms. "that's a first."

"It was horrible." Jo said as she stepped outta the locker room with a clean Nanook. "Soap bars were thrown. It was war I tell you."

"Hey!" Ana exclaimed, pointing at Rick. "You really are a cop!"

Rick gave her a small smile and I shook my head.

"See, this is why we call you SpaceKitty." I told her.

Ana glared but didn't argue back. Rick lead us to where they kept their guns and ammo.

"Morgan," I called, getting the older man's attention. "will you and Duane be okay without us?" I asked.

Morgan rose his eyebrow. "Yeah." He replied. "Why?"

"We gotta head to Savannah to catch the boat back to Northshore. My mom can only handle so much." I told him.

Rick opened the door to a weapon cage. Morgan and I walk in with him.

"A lot of its gone missing." Rick says as he take a rifle and checks it out.

"Daddy," Duane called, "can I learn to shoot? I'm old enough."

"Hell yes, you're gonna learn, but we've got to do it carefully, teach you to respect the weapon." Morgan said to his son.

"That's right. It's not a toy." Rick says to Duane, sounding like a police officer. "You pull the trigger, you have to mean it. Always remember that, Duane."

"Yes sir." Duane said looking up at Rick.

Rick turned to the girls, "Same goes for you ladies. Your weapons aren't toys, you have to be ready to take someone's life if need be."

Tiny and Ana nodded.

"Here," Morgan said as he indicated to a weapon bag. "Load up."

Rick picked up a Remington rifle with a scope. He checks out the sight before he hands it to Morgan. "You take that one. Nothing fancy, the scope's accurate."

If looks could kill, Rick would've been dead. Morgan was looking at Rick so intently before checking the weapon himself. Duane, and Ana was loading up ammo, Rick checks a shotgun.

"Look at what I found!" Jo said as she placed a sheriff's hat on her head. "Do I look legit or what?"

"You look stupid." I retorted. "Take it off."

She flipped me off before Rick took the hat off of her head and placed it on his.

"Awww," Jo whined. "Why did it have to be your hat?"

Rick shook his head in amusement as he loaded the guns he picked out into his weapon bag. Rick, his hands full, kicked open the outside door.

"Conserve your ammo." Rick said as he walked towards a small flight of steps. "It goes faster than you think, especially at target practice."

Rick walks over to a Deputy's car and placed his bag of guns on it along with his hat. Shadow and Nanook chased each other around the fenced parking lot.

"Duane?" Morgan called.

"Uh-huh?" Duane questioned as he looked up at his father.

Morgan held out a bag. "Take this to the car."

"Okay." Duane said as he took the bag from his father.

Me and my sisters huddled up to talk without Rick or Morgan overhearing.

"What should we do?" Ana asked, looking up at me.

"We can't split up," I said. "Moms said that we had to stick together no matter what."

"Then what do we do?" Jo asked, "We gotta get to Atlanta and Morgan isn't going anywhere until Duane is ready to make that trip."

"No telling when that'll be." Tiny said with a roll of her eyes.

"We follow Rick," I said, "we can take the Escalade and follow Rick. Help him find his family."

My sisters nodded, agreeing to my decision. We turned around to see Rick hand Morgan a walkie-talkie.

"You've got one battery I'll turn mine on a few minutes every day at dawn. You get up there, that's how you'll find me." Rick told him.

"You think ahead." Morgan said sounding impressed as we walked away from the Deputy's car.

"Can't afford not to, not anymore." Rick said following him.

"Ya'll make a decision, yet?" Morgan asked us.

"We're heading with Rick to Atlanta, help him find his family." I answered, pulling the bag higher on my back.

"Thank you," Rick told us sincerely.

"You're welcome." I said, "Besides, this might be a good chance to see if we can find survivors along the way." I told Morgan. "We'll wait three days for you and Duane if you change your mind."

Morgan chuckled. "You're mama must be worried sick about you four. You should get back to her as fast as you can, don't wait on us."

"You sure you two will be alright?" Jo asked Morgan.

"We will." Morgan answered, giving her a smile.

Morgan turned to face Rick. "Listen, one thing- They may not seem like much one at a time, but in a group, all riled up and hungry-" he trailed off a bit. "Man you watch your ass."

"You too," Rick told Morgan.

They clasped hands and shook them, Morgan smiled at Rick.

"You're a good man, Rick." Morgan pointed out. "I hope you find your wife and son." Morgan turned to us. "You guys stay outta trouble."

We nodded. I shook Morgan's hand while the girls hugged him.

Rick bent down a bit. "Be seeing you, Duane." He said as he shook Duane's hand. "Take care of your old man."

"Yes sir." Duane said with determination.

I put Duane in a playful headlock and started giving him a noogie, making the kid laugh as he tried to get away. I let him go so he can hug Jo and the twins.

Morgan pulled his hat down some and looked up, his whole demeanor changed. We all looked in the direction he was looking at. A walker, in a sheriff's uniform, approaching from the street, a restraint chain hung from his left hand.

"Leon Basset?" Rick questioned.

Morgan pulled Duane close. Ana pulled out her bow and Jo unsheathed her sword.

"I didn't think much of him-" Rick said. "Careless and dumb but I can't leave him like this."

This Basket, er, Basset Walker growled and snarled as his fingers gripped the fence that was topped with razor wire.

"You know they'll hear the shot." Morgan pointed out.

"Let's not be here when they show up." Rick said as he made his way towards the fenced gate.

"Let's go, son. Come on."

Morgan and Duane ran to their jeep. We can hear the car doors open. Jo sheathed her sword.

"Rick, we can use an arrow." Ana told him. "It'll draw a no attention at all."

Rick ignored Ana's comment or he didn't hear her, who knows. All I know was that Walker Basset pushed against the fence, trying to get at Rick as the sheriff neared it.

Rick cocked his Colt Python as he raised it up so it was through the fence and against Walker Basset's forehead as it snarled even louder. Rick pulled the trigger with no hesitation and we watched as the bullet pierced through Walker Basset's forehead and out the back. It fell slowly, it's fingers grazing the fence on the way down. Rick got into his car and we got into ours with our mutts of course. Jo decided to drive, so I let her. She drove behind Rick as we started to leave the parking lot of the Sheriff's Station. Morgan makes a right turn in his jeep onto the road outside the Sheriff's station with Rick behind in his Deputy's car, and us behind Rick. Morgan honked at us. We honked back while Rick whooped his siren twice as he made a left turn with us following behind him. We followed Rick down a ways and stopped when he pulled over on the side of the road. Jo hit the button for window to roll down automatically, she stuck her head out.

"Everything okay?" She asked him.

"Yeah," he replied, "give me a minute."

He walks onto the grass where a streak of blood is, leading deeper into the park. He puts on his hat and looked deeper into the park. Rick walked further into the trees.

"Should we-" Jo started to ask.

"No," I said cutting her off. "This is probably a Rick thing." I said leaning my seat back and folding my arms behind my head. "Let's chill until he gets back."

Jo sighed, turned the car off and leaned back in her seat. We had lost sight of Rick, but we knew he could take care of himself now that he's better. I whistled a tune, until a gunshot rung out. I quickly sat up and looked up at Jo, all of us got out of the car just in time to see Rick making his way out of the park.

"Rick!" I called worried.

The four of us ran to him, he slowed down as we stopped in front of him.

"We heard the gunshot!" Tiny exclaimed.

"Are you hurt?" Jo asked him.

Rick held up his hands, "I'm fine, everyone." he assured us. "Just put down a Walker, that's all."

I saw Jo fold her arms and raised her eyebrow at Rick, her left foot tapped impatiently. I know that gesture. She did that when she knew when she was being lied to. Rick avoided her icy glare and placed his hat back on his head.

"Shall we?" Rick asked as he started to walk pass us.

Jo scoffed and made her way towards the Escalade, I glanced down at Tiny who shrugged her shoulders. We had jog in order to catch up with Jo. She started the car as we put on our seat belts, she honked at Rick to let him know we were ready. He whooped his siren once and started to drive off with us right behind him. We followed Rick as he drove out onto a paved country road passing houses and fields.

I heard our headsets crackle with static before hearing Rick's voice.

 _ **"Broadcasting on Emergency Channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on highway 85. Anybody reads, please respond."**_

Nothing but static. Nanook let out a whined yawn. Me too, buddy. Me too.

 _ **"Hello. Hello. Can anybody hear my voice? Anybody out there? Anybody hears me, please respond. Hello, can you hear my voice?"**_

 _ **"H...ey. He...llo?"**_

I sat up in my seat. Someone responded back! It sounded like a girl. Survivors.

 _ **"Can you hear my voice?"** _ Rick asked.

 _ **"Yes, I c...an hear you. You...'re com...ing through. Over."**_

"The signal is weak." Jo pointed out.

 ** _"If anybody reads please respond. Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond."_** Rick continued on oblivious to the fact that someone heard him.

 _ **"We're... ...city."**_

"Fucking radio signals." I spat angrily.

 _ **"Hello, hello. Is the person who called still on the air? This is Officer Shane Walsh broadcasting to person unknown. Please respond."**_

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, "That came in clear."

"Guess that chick didn't know what she was doing." Ana said with sleep in her voice.

"Greetings, Officer Shane Walsh." I greeted. "This is James and I'm traveling with a man named Rick Grimes. Are you survivors and if so can you please give me your location. Please respond."

Nothing but static. I threw my mic against the dashboard.

"Go*dammit!" I screamed. "I hate the apocalypse!"

"Should we tell Rick?" Jo asked.

"What's the point?" I say, "We don't even know where those people are. We can't get his hopes up like that."

"True." Jo agreed.

Rick pulled up to a house and good thing too, the tank needed to be refilled. Rick got out of his car and went to the trunk. I stuck my head outta my opened window.

"Yo Grimes!" I called, he looked at me over his shoulder. "Need gas? We got some for ya!"

I got out of the car, lifted the back of the Escalade and grabbed one of the twelve gas cans we had. I handed them to Rick before closing the back.

"You guys are well supplied." Rick pointed out.

"We are well supplied," I corrected him. "You're one of us now, Rick." I gave his arm a pat before walking back to the passenger side.

After Rick filled his tank up we were back on the road again, Tiny and Ana had fallen asleep hours ago. Jo didn't look like she was tired at all. Did she actually enjoy driving? It felt like we were one the road for days. Okay, I'm being dramatic. It's actually been hours, but I don't like sitting in one spot for too long. Like being in a car with your best pals who planned a road trip and told you at the last minute. I wish I had a pillow for my ass. Rick pulled up in front of a house and we parked behind him.

"You think any survivors in there?" Jo asked.

"Not sure," I replied, before looking at my sister. "want me to go check?"

"I got it." Jo insisted. "You get your ass in the driver's seat."

I mocked her as she got out of the car, she walked around the front of the car and flipped me off. I watched as she walked over to Rick's side, her sword at the ready. I watched as they walked towards the house. I started whistling again whe I heard a whining sound and scratching sounds. Was something scratching my Baby?! Oh hell no! I grabbed my gun and hopped out the car ready to shoot a bitch, but saw it was just a branch. Oh heehee.

"What're you doing, jerk?"

I looked up to see Jo looking at me with her eyebrow raised. I gave her that shit eating grin she hates so much. "Minding my business so mind your own."

She scoffed. "Whatever, asshole." She muttered. "Get your ass in the car, Rick thinks it would be better to ride in one car. Something about saving gas."

I nodded when I saw Rick grab his bag of guns from the back of his car. Jo got in the back with the girls and the dogs, while Rick rode shotgun.

I started the car back up and took off down the road, listening to Jo's directions. After a while and a couple of stops for food and water, we made it to a divided highway that led to Atlanta... that's what Jo said anyway.

"Creepy," Ana muttered.

"Really creepy," Tiny added.

All the outbound lanes are lined with abandoned cars. It seemed traffic was backed up for miles, hopefully people abandoned their cars and took off on foot. I can only imagine how much chaos took place here.

I slowly drove down the highway so I wouldn't attract attention, we crossed a bridge and over paved streets lined with skyscrapers.

"Stop the car." Jo said.

"Why?" I asked as I glanced up at the rearview mirror to see her looking at me.

"If city is overrun with Walkers, we don't need to carry any with us if we have to escape quickly." She explained. "So stop the car."

I stopped and she got out, she quickly checked her handguns, tightened her utility belt which held her sword and dagger. She climbed on top of my car and tapped the roof. I started driving again, slowly.

"Your sister is insane." Rick pointed out.

"Yeah, she is." I chuckled. "But I'm on a whole new level of insane."

Ana scoffed. "That's putting it mildly."

I glared at her from the rearview mirror. "What did you say, bitch?"

"You heard me, dickweed." Ana snapped.

"Bitch."

"Cunt"

"Slut bucket."

"Dickhole"

"Queefer."

"Shut up, already!" Tiny exclaimed, "Stop acting like that in front of Rick! No respect."

"You don't tell me!" Ana and I said in unison.

Rick chuckled as he looked out the window. "Never a dull moment with you guys, huh?" he asked.

"Nope." I replied.

As we got deeper into Atlanta the streets were littered with trash, wrecked cars, abandoned cars, and even a helicopter left in the middle of the street. We passed crashed bus. A few walkers sitting in the bus were roused and begin to follow us. I picked up some speed, not a lot. When I got far enough away from those flesh chomping assholes I turned down a different street. I drove passed a tank, overturned vehicles and an abandoned roadblock.

"Eeww, that crow is eat that dead guy." Tiny said, her voice filled with disgust.

Is it just me or do I hear the blades of a helicopter?

"Is that-?" Ana asked as she tried to look up at the sky.

"Helicopter." Jo whispered into her headset.

"Fuck yeah!" I exclaimed as I sped up a bit.

 _ **"Hit this left."**_ Jo instructed me quietly through my headset.

As I turned left I hit the breaks when I saw the street was swarming with Walkers. My guess is that they say Jo on the roof and thought "FRESH MEAT" They started towards the car.

"Go! Go!" Jo screamed.

I quickly shifted gears and went to back up as fast as I could, but it was all for not. There were more Walkers heading towards us from the way we came earlier. I hit the breaks, which caused Jo to be launched forward. She screamed in pain.

"Jo!" I yelled, getting ready to get out of the car.

"I'll get her," Rick told me. "You get your sisters outta here."

"Our mom told us to stay together no matter what." I told him. "We can't be apart."

"James, there are too many of those Walkers." Rick argued quickly. "All you have to worry about right now is getting Taniese and Aniese outta here."

Before I can argue more Rick was already out of the car, I caught his eye. I had to trust him with my sister. I trust him. I trust him. I put the car in reverse again and ran over a few Walkers.

"No! Go back! Go back!" Tiny screamed. "We can still get them!"

Shadow and Nanook barked fiercely at the Walkers smacking my car windows. I saw and heard Rick shooting any Walker that came close.

"I'm sorry, Mom." I whispered. As I put the car in drive and pressed down on the gas, getting the hell away from the city. Am I doing the right thing?

* * *

 _ **Rick**_

I dropped the bag of guns when I saw that there was no way I could carry them and Anjolina at the same time. Said woman removed her arm from around my shoulders and tried to retrieve the bag. I quickly grabbed her arm "Leave 'em!" I shouted over the loud snarling of the undead. I quickly placed her arm back over my shoulders. "I promised your brother that I would protect you!" I kicked away one of the Walkers that got close to us, Anjolina shot some that got too close. I looked around to see that nothing but a fast flow of Walkers coming towards us.

"Look Rick!" Anjolina exclaimed as she pointed. I followed her finger to a tank. "The tank, Rick. Under the tank!"

I helped her over to it and we crawled under the tank but only to be followed by those flesh eating monsters. Shit, shit, shit. Anjolina shot the ones crawling in front of us and I shot the ones crawling behind us.

"Oh God. Oh God." I chanted, the panic was obvious in my tone.

I shot at the nearest undead son of a bitch until I has only one bullet left. "Lori, Carl, I'm sorry." I said as I rolled onto my back and placed the gun to my temple.

"No, Rick!" Anjolina yelled as she gave a swift hard kick to my shoulder.

I opened my eyes, I grit my teeth in pain and was ready to let her have it, the words were caught on my tongue when I saw the opened hatch, I quickly climbed through it and grabbed Anjolina by her arms and pulled her up quickly. The both of us quickly closed the hatch, she fell onto her back and I scooted away from the hatch. Nearly jumped outta my skin when I saw the dead soldier next to me.

"For a minute there I thought we were goners." Anjolina muttered with her arm over her eyes. I let out a sigh of relief. The sounds of growling made me sit up, and before I could do anything a dagger was flung and imbedded into the skull of the Walker. Anjolina's foot pushed the rest of the blade into the Walker's skull, it slumped over. Dead for good this time. I looked up at her as she pulled out her dagger and fell onto her bottom.

"Thanks." I said panting.

"You saved my life, Rick. That's a debt that's not easily repaid." She told me, her light green eyes bore through my blue ones. "I'll stick by you, no matter what."

She held out her hand to me, I reached put and grabbed it. We shook on it. We pulled our hands away and I watched as she checked over her leg over. "Bruised." she muttered. "Fucking called it." she said as she tilted her head back and let out a hiss of pain, she opened my eyes and stared. I followed her gaze and saw another opened hatch, I got to my feet and looked out the hatch to see lots and lots of Walkers. Dammit. I noticed my hat and bag of guns.

"My hat and my guns are out there." I muttered.

"By all means," she said tiredly. "go out there and get them."

I gave her a pointed look. Now was not the time for jokes. She waved off my look and I pressed against her headset. "Guys, we're still alive. Trapped in a tank, but we're alive."

My guess was that she was talking to James. I heard a snarl and looked up to see that a Walker had spotted me, I quickly got down and closed the hatch.

"Not yet. There are way too many Walkers to even think about leaving this tank." She said. "I'll radio in later with an update." She chuckled before disconnecting the connection. There was pounding on the hatch, the Walkers could be heard through the tank. She checked her clip. She muttered something before she checked her pack and pulled out a box of ammo, she quickly held it out for me to take it.

"You sure?" I asked as I eyed the box.

"Yep," she replied. "take it."

I took the ammo and thanked her. She gave me a nod. The sounds of a radio's crackling static made the both of us jump.

 _ **"Hey, you. Dumb ass with the girl."**_

Anjolina and I looked at the radio. It was a guy. Sounded young.

 _ **"Yeah, you in the tank."**_ He said. _ **"Are you cozy in there?"**_


	3. Chapter 03(Guts)

**_Before I do my disclaimer I want to thank CarlTheLegitChickenNugget for adding my story to his or her's favorites. I wish I knew if CarlTheLegitChickenNugget was a girl or a guy, but there's no profile and I don't want to assume anything. I'm reading his or her story called "Lost" and I WANT ANOTHER CHAPTER UP THERE RIGHT DAMN NOW! Anyway, thanks you for the support CarlTheLegitChickenNugget._**

 ** _DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Walking Dead (If I did things would've been hella different), all rights belong to Robert Kirkman_** , ** _Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. I DO own the OCs you may find in this story. Blah Blah Blah. I hate disclaimers, they're just so sad. I've updated this chapter and probably will later chapters, we'll see. PRONOUNCING NAMES: TANEISE (tah-niece), ANIESE(_** _ **an-eye-ees**_ ** _), and ANJOLINA(ann-joe-leena) that is for those who will pronounce it as ANGELINA. It's a mashup of Angelina Jolie's name. LET'S READ._**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Three**_

 _ **Guts**_

* * *

 _ **Anjolina**_

"Survivors." I said.

 _ **"Hey, are you alive in there?"**_ The man on the radio asked. _**"Or are you making out with your girl?"**_

I grit my teeth, I snatched the mic and pressed down the button. "When I see you I am gonna slap your shit you Walker cocksucker!"

 _ **"Whoa,"**_ The exclaimed, sounds like he was holding back a laugh. _**"hostle much?"**_

Rick took the device from me. "Where are you?" He asked. "Outside? Can you see me right now?"

 _ **"Yeah, I can see you."**_ The man replied. _**"You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news."**_

"There's good news?" I asked into the mic.

 _ **"No."**_ The man replied.

"Of course not." I muttered.

"Listen, whoever you are, I don't mind telling you I'm a little concerned in here." Rick said trying to mask his panic.

 _ **"Oh man. You should see it from over here. You'd be having a major freak-out."**_ The man said.

"Got any advice for us?" Rick asked him.

 _ **"Yeah,"**_ the man replied. _**"I'd say make a run for it."**_

Rick and I glanced at each other. Was this guy for real? Make a run for it? I am definitely gonna slap his shit. "That's it?" Rick asked, "Make a run for it? The girl here hurt her leg pretty bad, I don't think running is an option for her."

 _ **"Look, my way's not as dumb as it sounds."**_ The man said sounding offended. Aw. _**"You've got eyes on the outside here. There's one geek still up on the tank but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down."**_ he explained. _**"You with me so far?"**_

"So far." Rick replied.

 _ **"Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you two move now while they're distracted, you stand a chance. Got ammo?"**_

"A box my friend here gave me and in that duffel bag I dropped out there, and guns. Can I get to it?" Rick asked the guy.

 _ **"Forget the bag, okay? It's not an option. What do you have on you?"**_

"Hang on." Rick said as he hurriedly checked his handgun and the one he took from the soldier's corpse. He quickly counted his bullets and goes back to the dead soldier to check his pockets. Rick sees something on the shelf next to the corpse and he takes it.

"Yeah. Yeah." Rick muttered as he stuffed something into his pocket. He rushed back over to the radio and picked up the mice. "I've got a berretta with one clip, 15 rounds."

 _ **"Make 'em count. Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There's an alley up the street, maybe 50 yards. Be there."**_

"Hey, what's your name?" Rick asked. Aw.

 _ **"Have you been listening? You're running out of time."**_

"Right." Rick muttered. before grabbing a metal bar off the wall of the tank. He was breathing heavily as he tried to calm his nerves. He opens the top hatch, helped me through it. A Walker, on the tank, spotted us immediately, growling at us. Rick hit it across the face with the bar. I unsheathed my sword and used it to slice his head off.

Rick jumps down off the tank, lands hard on his ankle. I didn't land any better, I nearly collasped because of the pain. Rick got up and limped over to me, he quickly helped me up, threw my arm over his shoulders and together we hobbled as fast we could down the sidewalk. I sheathed my sword and pulled out one of my WingShooters and started shooting Walkers that got too close. We hobbled towards the alley, shooting as we went. We hit a left and came face to face with an Korean guy. How could I tell you ask? The eyes. I can tell by the shape of his eyes.

"Whoa! Not dead!" he exclaimed, eyes slightly wide. "Come on! Come on!"

The guy from the radio! Oooh I am gonna slap his shit. We moved back into the alley pulling a tall chain link gate closed behind us. "Back here!" The guy announced. I looked back to see that the gate wasn't closed properly and Walkers were getting through and following us. Rick and I continued to shoot the nearest one while the three of us ran further down the alley. "Come on! Come on!" The man shouted.

"I can only hobble so fast, asshole." I shouted at him.

The man started climbing a fire escape ladder that leads almost straight up to the top of the building. Rick helped me onto the ladder and I climbed up as fast as I could, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my bruised leg. I looked down to see Rick putting the gun in his pants. The Walkers were getting close to him. "Rick!" I shouted, I quickly put my legs through the space between the bars of the ladder, I backbend down with both guns drawn and I started shooting the Walkers that were to close to Rick. Headshot. Headshot. Headshot. Headshot. I made sure my breathing was calm, my heartbeat beating calmly as I shot Walker after Walker, but they kept coming. Rick climbed over me.

"What are you doing?" The guy screamed at me. "Come on!"

I put away my guns and untangled myself and started climbing up, I gritted my teeth as I climbed. Pain shot through my leg. Son of a bitch that shit hurt. The guy and Rick grabbed my hands and pulled me up on this utility platform.

"Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood."The guy said sarcastically, "You the new Sheriff come riding in to clean up the town?" The guy asked.

Rick looked over at him. "It wasn't my intention." Rick said in his defense.

"Yeah. Whatever. Yeehaw." He muttered and his lifted his fist in the air. "You're still a dumbass." The guy said, panting.

I tried to lunge at him, but Rick held me back by my arms. The guy jumped back.

"Hostle!" The guy exclaimed as he held up his hands in defense.

"I am gonna slap your shit you cocksucker!" I growled.

"Easy, Anjolina." Rick said calmly. "Easy."

I hissed like a cat at the guy making him jump. Rick used one hand to hold both of my wrists, he used the other one to offer the asshole a handshake. "Rick. Thanks."

The guy glanced at me, then Rick's hand. He slapped his hand against Rick's and shook it. "Glenn. You're welcome."

"This young woman here, who is probably foaming at the mouth, is Anjolina." Rick introduced. "She's actually a nice and caring person. Don't let her attitude fool you, she does have a heart."

Glenn looked at me in disbelief. "I hope you're right."

"Be nice." Rick whispered to me.

"Fine." I growled.

Rick let me go and put the Beretta into Glenn's backpack while Glenn looked down. "Oh no." Glenn said, making me look over too. Some Walkers have mobbed the bottom of the ladder and it's starting to overwhelm it. Glenn, Rick, and I looked up the rest of the way. The ladder extends straight up several stories without any breaks.

"Are you shittin' me?!" I exclaimed.

"The bright side:" Glenn started, I looked at him as he looked back at us. "It'll be the fall that kills us. I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy."

"Yeah, I can tell." I told him.

We scaled the ladder and walked across a bridge between buildings. Well, I hobbled. Bruised leg, remember?

"Are you the one that barricaded the alley?" Rick asked Glenn.

"Somebody did- I guess when the city got overrun. Whoever did it was thinking not many geeks would get through." He said while he jogged and I hobble jogged.

Glenn opened a hatch that leads down into the building we are on top of.

"Back at the tank." Rick brought up as Glenn took off his backpack down. "Why'd you stick your neck out for us?" he asked the guy.

"Call it foolish, naïve hope," Glenn started as he dropped his bag into the hole. "that if I'm ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me." He looked up at Rick "Guess I'm an even bigger dumbass than you."

Rick and I followed Glenn down into the building, closing the door behind us. Glenn dropped down first, then he helped me down. He picked up his backpack and looked around look to make sure it was clear before running, me hobbling, through the building and out into another alley.

"I'm back." Glenn spoke into a walkie-talkie. "Got two guests plus four geeks in the alley."

I could hear the Walkers growling. I hate that sound so much. Two men in riot gear come out of the other building with baseball bats. They ran up and beat down the Walkers before anyone can be bitten.

"Let's go!" Glenn called to us.

Rick held my hand as we rushed around the guys beating the shit outta those Walkers. I nearly tripped, but Rick's hold on my hand tightened and he yanked me forward. I stumbled forward instead of tripping, at least I didn't fall but I hated being manhandled.

"Morales," I heard a man shout "let's go!"

The two in riot gear run in, close the door behind them. A blonde haired woman angrily pushes Rick back into a stack of boxes and shoves a gun in his face. A second woman is in the room, too. "You son of a bitch." Blondie growled. "We ought to kill you." I high kicked the gun outta her hand, grabbed her arm and hip tossed her to the ground. I unsheathed my dagger, I drew my arm back and was getting ready to bring it down on this bitch.

"Anjolina, no!" Rick yelled. I stopped. My dagger's blade inches from her face. "We don't kill the living." Rick told him.

"Yeah, lady." A guy with a spanish accent said. "Ju-just chill, alright?"

"Come on, honey." The voice of another woman said softly. "Ease up."

I glared down at the stupid blonde before me, her blue eyes started up at me. They were wide with fear, I could pratically hear her heart beat. "You ever point a gun at him again and I will not hesitate to kill you." I whispered harshly to her. "Do you understand me?" She nodded. I got up off her and looked around at the new faces, they looked terrified of me and they should be. "Harm him and you'll have to answer to me." I told them. "Got it?" They nodded. I sheathed my dagger and sent Blondie another dirty look before I went to Rick's side. I got his back.

"Badass," Glenn whispered to me.

I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing.

The Blondie started crying. "We're dead –all of us –because of you two."

"Pretty sure you won't be missed." I retorted.

"Fuck you," Blondie hissed, "I have a sister waiting for me!"

"That poor orphan." I retorted.

Blondie tried to lunge at me, but I grabbed her arm a hip tossed her again. She groaned in pain as she laid on her back. I did a "get up" motion towards Blondie. Rick grabbed my arm to hold me back.

"I don't understand." Rick said.

"Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies." The spanish guy, Morales, said as he grabbed Rick by the arm roughly.

My self defense instincts kicked in, I grabbed Morales arm, twisted it behind his back and pressed the blade of my dagger under his chin. The guy froze in place.

"Do. Not. Grab. Him. Like. That." I growled out.

"I-I won't. Ju-Just chill." Morales stuttered.

I saw Blondie move towards me slowly. She's a glutton for punishment, isn't she? "Don't even think about it, Blondie." I told her as I still stared at Morales. "I'll kill you before you even think about pulling that trigger."

"My name is Andrea!" Blondie snapped. "Not Blondie!"

"Easy, Anjolina." Rick said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Easy." I pulled my dagger away. I glared at Morales and Blondie, oops, Andrea. I gestured for Morales to continue his story as he did Glenn came up beside me as I followed behind Morales still limping.

"Badass." He said impressed. "Dude, you have to teach me how to be all ninja like."

I side glanced him. "You just don't want me to slap you."

"That would be a bonus." Glenn said. "Aw c'mon! I saved your lives, that should count for something." I smirked at him and continued walking. "Is that a yes?" Glenn asked after me. We were led into a department store of some kind.

"Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds." The Black dude told us.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing as I stood beside Rick.

"You just rang the dinner bell." Andrea told us.

"Get the picture now?" Morales asked us.

Outside the plate glass windows were Walkers banging and pushing into them, more Walkers behind them pushing, too. I noticed one with a rock, it lifted it over its head. I pointed at it. "They can do that?!" I asked, freaking out a bit. It started hiting the glass with the rock. What the fuck?! Seriously?! What in the actual fuck?! Cracks begin to appear on the outside doors.

"Oh God!" Andrea exclaimed.

The survivors back away and got more out of sight. I tugged on Rick's sleeve to get him to follow. We hid behind some clothes racks and such.

"What the hell were you doing out there anyway?" Andrea asked Rick.

"We were trying to flag the helicopter." Rick replied looking at her.

"Helicopter?" The Black man repeated. "Man, that's crap. Ain't no damn helicopter."

"You were chasing a hallucination. Imagining things. It happens." The Black woman told Rick.

"Well, then my family and I must've been hallucinating too, because not only did we see it we heard it." I said as I folded my arms.

"Family?" The black woman questioned.

"Long story." I said to the woman. "Got seperated from them because of those Walkers."

"Hey, T-Dog, try that C.B. Can you contact the others?" Morales asked the Black man.

Rick and I glanced at each other before looking back at the survivors. "Others? The refugee center?"

I walked away from the others and pressed the button on my headset.

"Jay." I whispered into my mic. "Pick up, douchebag."

 _ **"You okay?"**_

"My leg is bruised, but I'm fine. Listen we ran into some survivors, not the friendly bunch. Glenn's pretty cool, I might not slap him after all."

 _ **"I'm glad you're making friends, but I need to know where you are."**_

"I don't remember the name of this department store." I smacked my forehead. "What's the name? The name?"

A gunshot made me jump a bit, I looked up at the ceiling. Tha fuck?

 _ **"What the fuck was that?! Are you hurt?!"**_

"I'm fine." I assured him. "I'll contact you later. Jo out."

"Oh no. Is that Dixon?" Andrea asked.

"What is that maniac doing?" The black woman wondered outloud.

"Come on, let's go." Glenn called to me.

Rick and I followed the survivors as we ran up a few staircases, hearing another gunshot on the way up. At the top was a door which Morales kicked open and ran out. Another gunshot. "Hey, Dixon, are you crazy?!" Morales was pissed. This Dixion guy started laughing. Weird name for a guy. He aimed and shot another Walker.

"Oh Jeez." The Andrea said as she stopped next to T-Dog was it? Yeah, T-Dog.

"Huh?!" That Dixion guy said loudly. "Hey! Y'all be more polite to a man with a gun! Huh?" He jumped down off the low wall that runs around the roof. I placed my hand on the hilt of my dagger. I didn't trust this guy, something about him put me on the edge. "Only common sense." Dixion added.

"Man, you wasting bullets we ain't even got, man!" T-Dog yelled at the man. Dixon just laughed at T-Dog. "And you're bringing even more of them down on our ass!" T-Dog pointed out. "Man, just chill."

"Hey, bad enough I've got this taco-bender on my ass all day." Dixion said gesturing to Morales. Oh, he's that type of White guy. "Now I'm gonna take orders from you? I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day."

"That'll be the day" T-Dog repeated. "You got something you want to tell me?" T-Dog asked Dixion.

"Hey, T-Dog man, just leave it." Morales said trying to be the voice of reason. "All right?"

"No." T-Dog simply said.

"It ain't worth it." Morales said to T-Dog. "Now Merle, just relax, okay? We've got enough trouble."

Rick and I looked questioningly at Glenn. Glenn shakes his head and motions for us to leave it alone.

"You want to know the day?" Merle asked T-Dog. Merle sounds like an old ass name.

"Yeah." T-Dog answered.

"I'll tell you the day, Mr. "YO." It's the day I take orders from a nigger." Merle insulted. I knew he was a racist prick.

"Mother-" T-Dog threw a punch, Merle blocked it and smacked T-Dog in the face with his gun.

"Hey, come on Merle, that's enough." Morales said.

"Come on." Andrea shouted.

Everyone started shouting for Merle to stop.

"Dixon!" Andrea screamed.

Rick jumped over a pipe to help T-Dog and Merle clocks him with a hard left. Rick flew back and down to the ground back over the pipe. I rushed over to Rick's side and helped him to his feet. Dixon plants a heavy shove into T-Dog's chest then picked him up and punches him. T-Dog's head bangs into the pipe.

"Stop it!"

"Dixon, get off him!"

T-Dog landed on a metal pipe before he fell to the rooftop. Dixon started kicking him then punching him.

"Dixon you're gonna hurt him."

"Merle cut it out!"

I smacked Rick across the face to make him snap out of the daze he was in, he shook his head widly and stood up to his full height. "You good?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah." He answered. "Thanks."

T-Dog is on the ground. Merle sat on top of him and started beating him with his fists. Morales tried to break it up but Dixon elbowed him in the stomach. Merle pulled out a revolver, cocks it, and points it at T-Dog's face. I reached for my gun, but Rick grabbed my wrist.

"When I give you the signal, you kick his ass." Rick whispered to me. I slowly smirked at that. I finally get to beat someone ass. I removed my hand from my holstered gun and grabbed my black gloves from my back pocket. I slipped them on and balled my fists up, my eyes never leaving Merle's form. Thunder rumbled overhead. T-Dog whimpered. Merle spit on T-Dog's chest and rubbed it in while yelling. T-Dog grunted in pain. Merle stood up with his gun still aimed at T-Dog.

"Yeah! All right! We're gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh?" Merle said to everyone. "Talk about who's in charge. I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, y'all. Show of hands, huh? All in favor? Huh? Come on. Let's see 'em."

The black woman, Glenn, and Andrea pulled T-Dog away from Merle. Morales lifted his hand.

"Oh, come on." Andrea said to Morales.

"All in favor?" Merle asked.

The black woman raised her middle finger at Merle while Glenn just raised his hand.

"Yeah, that's good." Merle said, amused at the black woman.

Andrea raised her hand last. I looked over at Rick who nodded to me, I smirked and sneaked my way over to Merle.

"Yeah." Merle said overjoyed. "Now that means I'm the boss, right?" He asked. "Yeah. Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody?"

"Yeah." Rick called out from behind me.

Merle turned around and met with my fist, he stumbled back and that wasn't good enough for me. I roundhouse kicked him in his chest, he stumbled again. I grit my teeth in pain, my bruised leg was throbbing with pain. He growled and tried to charge at me, but I gave him one of my favorite wrestling moves. Sweet Chin Music. That knocked Merle flat on his back, he looked hella dazed, not out but dazed. I stood up straight with my hands on my hips and glared down at that prick. Rick used his handcuffs to attach Merle to the pipe on the roof. Rick pulls Dixon up by his shirt and gets in his face.

"Who the hell are you man?" Merle demanded, mouth coated in his own blood.

"Officer Friendly." Rick replied sarcastically.

Rick reached around took Merle's gun and removing the clip he turned back to Merle. "Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no _Niggers_ anymore. No _dumb-as-shit, inbred white-trash fools_ either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart." Rick lectured.

"Screw you, man."

I rolled my eyes at this idiot. Hard headed fool. I folded my arms, Merle glanced at me but looked back at Rick.

"I can see you make a habit of missing the point." Rick said to the fool.

"Yeah?" Merle asked sarcastically. "Well screw you twice."

Rick cocks the gun. "Ought to be polite to a man with a gun. Only common sense. "Rick repeated what Merle said ealier as he pointed the gun to Merle's temple.

"You wouldn't. You're a cop." Merle said. Sounds like he's getting nervous to me.

Rick lowered the gun. "All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son. Anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose. I'll give you a moment to think about that." Rick started patting Merle down. Rick pulled something out of Merle's pocket and looked at it for a couple of seconds before looking closely at Merle's face. "Got some on your nose there." Ric said as he flicked Merle's nose for emphasis.

"What are you gonna do? Arrest me?" Merle asked and he started laughing at his joke. All crime is legal because there is no Law anymore. Yeah, real funny asshole. Rick gestured me to follow him, he walked to the side of the building. He tossed the packet into the air off the side. "Hey! What are you doing? Man that was my stuff! Hey!" Merle grunted, trying to get loose. "If I get loose, you'd better pray- yeah, you hear me, you pig?! You hear me?"

"Yeah, your voice carries." Rick told him.

I snickered at that.

"Do you hear me, you filthy pig?!" Merle screamed.

Rick walks to the wall and flexes his hand in pain. I took his hand and examined it, he hurt it but didn't break so that was good. I gave Rick a nod and let go of his hand. Morales joined us.

"You're not Atlanta P.D." Morales pointed out. "Where you from?"

"Up the road a ways." Rick replied.

Morales chuckled. "Well, Officer Friendly, from up the road a ways, welcome to the big city."

Thunder rumbled again, the sounds of moaning and snarling Walkers filled my ears. Morales, Rick and I looked over the side at the Walkers who flooded the streets of ATL. The black woman and Andrea looked over the side, too.

"God, it's like Times Square down there." Andrea said.

"Been to New York, Blondie?" I asked as I leaned against the low wall.

"Andrea," she corrected. "and I might have."

Morales, Rick, and I walked over to T-Dog who was leaning against the low wall.

"How's that signal?" Morales asked him.

"Like Dixon's brain-weak." T-Dog said.

I snickered and Merle gave T-Dog the finger.

"Keep trying." Morales ordered.

"Why?" Andrea asked Morales. "There's nothing they can do. Not a damn thing." She looked at Rick and walks away angrily.

"Charming." I said after her.

"Pay Andrea no mind, honey." The black woman told me. "I'm Jacqui."

I smiled at the older woman. She's nice.

"Anjolina." I introduced. "Nice to meet you, Jacqui."

"Got some people outside the city is all." Morales told Rick. "There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream."

"Then she's right. We're on our own. It's up to us to find a way out." Rick told them.

I walked over to Glenn who gushed about my awesomeness. I told him that he should see my brother fight. Now that was a Brawler.

"Good luck with that. These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear." Merle said to Rick. He turned his sights on Andrea. "Ain't that right, sugar tits?" I shook my head. Pig. "Hey, Honeybunch," He called to Andrea, "what say you get me out of these cuffs; we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway." I scrunched my nose up in disgust. "Bumb uglies"? Who says that shit anymore?

"I'd rather." Andrea retorted.

"Amen." I muttered under my breath, Glenn elbowed my arm.

"Rug muncher." Merle muttered. "I figured as much."

I rolled my eyes and looked up to see Morales and Rick talking quietly.

"What's up with you and Rick?" Glenn asked. "You two seem pretty close."

I looked at the Korean. "I'm not his woman, if that's what you're asking." I told him, a little annoyed.

"You're not?" He asked, "I'm sorry, I just assumed-"

"Of course you did." I said cutting him off. "Rick saved my life out there on those streets. I owe him."

"A life debt?" Glenn asked.

I nodded. "One and only."

"He saved your life?" Andrea asked, butting in. "That cop?"

"Yeah," I replied. "That's why I was hostle towards you and Morales."

"You were hostle to me too," Glenn pointed out. "Don't forget you threatened to slap me."

"Don't make me regret my decision _not_ to slap you." I told the Korean boy.

"Hey, Glenn," Morales called, "check the alley. You see any manhole covers?"

Glenn got up and jogged away.

 _ **"Hey Jo, whaddya know?"**_ Tiny said jokingly.

My eyes lit up at an idea. I pressed on my earpiece. "Tiny, where's Jay?"

"You have a walkie-talkie?" Andrea asked as she stood up, looking at me accussingly.

"Back off, Blondie." I hissed at her. "My brother gave this to me to keep in contact."

 _ **"No, he's out hunting with Shadow and Nanook."**_ Tiny replied. _**"Is something wrong?"**_

"We may need a little help." I told her. "Stay by the radio."

 _ **"Will do."**_ She said. _**"Stay safe okay and we love you."**_

"Love you too." I said softly. "Jo out."

"How do you know that?" Glenn asked Jacqui.

"It's my job- was." She said. "I worked in the city zoning office."

"Anjolina," Rick called. "You stay up here keep an eye out on them."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Fine." I told him. "I'll play babysitter."

I walked away from Rick and Morales and made my way back to my seat next to Glenn, I past Merle my mind filled with uncertainties and worry. A wolf whistle broke me from my dark thoughts, I stopped walking and turned around to see who did that shit.

"Aren't you a pretty lil thing." Merle said as he looked up at me from his seat on the roof. "Nice ass, baby."

I scoffed in disgust and made my way back to my seat. I continued to ignore his advances. He wasn't about to get up under my skin. No way. No how.

"Is that you real hair color?" Merle asked.

"Excuse me?" I asked with annoyance in my tone.

"Ya know," Merle said gesturing towards me. "Does the carpet match the drapes?"

Okay I lied. He got under my skin real quick. "That's none of your business, bitch. "I hissed. "And if you even think about calling me a lesbian, I will knock out all of your fuckin' teeth."

Merle tilted his head back and laughed. "I like you. You're my kind of woman."

I scoffed in disgust and walked over to T-Dog. "I should check to see if you have any broken ribs thanks to Mr. McDouche over there."

"I heard that!" Merle shouted.

I rolled my eyes and prodded T-Dog's side as he tried to radio his camp or whatever. He winced and hissed in pain. Bruised, but not broken.

"Anybody out there? Hello? Anybody read? I'm hoping to hear somebody's voice 'cause I'm getting sick and tired of hearing mine."

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us." Merle retorted. "Why don't you knock that crap off? You're giving me a headache, boy." He said before he spit on the roof's surface.

"Why don't you pull your head out your ass?" T-Dog retorted to Merle. "Maybe your headache will go away." Merle chuckled. "Try some positivity for a change, damn." T-Dog added.

"I'll tell you what-" Merle said to T-Dog. "You there get me out of these cuffs and I'll be all "Sammy Sunshine" positive for you. Hey, see that hacksaw over there in that tool bag? Get it for me, hmm? Make it worth your while. What do you say, man? Come on. Get me out of these things."

"So you can beat my ass again? Or call me a nigger some more?" T-Dog asked.

"Come on now. It wasn't personal." Merle told T-Dog. It's just that your kind and my kind ain't meant to mix. That's all."

"Unbelievable." I said not believing what I'm hearing. "There were plenty of Whites and Blacks that ended up dating, married with kids. We're all mixed with something, asshole. It's people like you that think you're superior when you're actually not. No one is!" I snatched the radio from T-Dog and tried to fix his frequency for him.

"T-Dog, listen, it don't mean we can't… work together, parley, as long as there's some kind of mutual gain involved." Merle said, basically ignoring my statement. "So… about that hacksaw-"

"I guess you want me to get that rifle over there, too so you can shoot that cop when he comes back up, huh?" T-Dog wondered out loud.

"Huh" Merle grunted with this shit eating smirk. UGH!

"Here you go, T-Dog." I said handing him his radio back.

Thunder rumbled overhead. I could hear the sounds of shoes, I turned towards the door to see Rick coming through it, the others behind him. He and the others walked to the half wall with a pair of binoculars. "That construction site," Rick pointed out as he held out the binoculars to Morales, "those trucks- they always keep keys on hand."

Morales takes the binoculars, quickly he put them to his eyes. He looked forward and then looked down at the street below. "You'll never make it past the Walkers." Morales pointed out.

"Thanks, Debbie Downer." I told Morales with a roll of my eyes.

Rick looked over at Glenn. "You got us out of that tank."

"Yeah, but they were feeding." Glenn pointed out. "They were distracted."

"Can we distract them again?" I asked Glenn.

"Right. Listen to him. He's onto something. A diversion, like on _"Hogan's Heroes."_ " Merle added his extra 25 cents.

"God. Give it a rest." Jacqui told Merle.

"No one asked you, Dixion." I hissed. "Shut up before I'll knock you on your back again."

"Hopefully with you on top and screamin' me not to stop." Merle said with that shit-eating ass grin.

I let out a disgusted scoff. "I'd rather shoot my own brains out."

"They're drawn by sound, right?" Rick asked Glenn, ignoring me and Merle going back and forth.

"Right, like dogs. They hear a sound, they come." Glenn confirmed.

"What else?" Rick asked.

"Aside from they hear you?" Morales asked. "They see you, smell you and if they catch you, they eat you."

"They can tell us by smell?" I asked, my arms folded across my chest.

"Can't you?" Glenn asked, he sounded a little impatient.

I flipped him off and mouthed "Fuck you" to him. Glenn mocked me which caused him to get punched in the arm, it wasn't seriously hard but it was hard enough to sting.

"Ow!" Glenn cried rubbing his left arm and staring at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I questioned him. "It was a love tap."

"There was no love in that tap!" Glenn exclaimed.

"Anjolina. Glenn." Rick called. "Focus. Anjolina, stay here and watch after Dixion." Rick ordered.

"Are you kidding me?!" I exclaimed, "Why?!"

Rick turned to glare at me. "I promised your brother that no harm will come to you and I am a man of my word. You. Stay. Here."

I watched as the others walked towards the door leading back into the department. "I'm older than him, ya know!" I shouted after Rick, but it fell on deaf ears. I grumbled to myself as I leaned up against the half wall.

"Anjolina, huh?" T-Dog asked, breaking the silence. "Unusual name."

"I think my mom was high when she named me." I admitted. "Besides, my friends used to call me Jo."

After a good while of waiting everyone but Rick and Glenn came running through that door.

"What's going on?" I asked Jacqui. "Where's Rick and Glenn?"

"Hey, what's happening, man?" Merle asked Morales.

"Hey, T-Dog," Morales called, "try that C.B."

"Hey, come on. Talk to me y'all." Merle said after the group.

"Base Camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" T-Dog said into the C.B.

I rushed over to Morales side as the man followed Rick and Glenn's progress through the binoculars.

"Can anybody out there hear me?" T-Dog asked into the C.B.

"There." Morales said pointing.

The thunder rumbled, grey clouds looming overhead. If it's gonna rain then it needs to rain and not play with my emotions.

"That asshole is out on the street with the handcuff keys?" Merle griped.

The thunder rumbled again. "Hello, base camp! Can anybody out there hear me?" T-Dog asked into the C.B. "Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?"

 _ **"Hello? Hello? Reception's bad on this end."**_ The voice of a man came from T-Dog's C.B. _**"Repeat. Repeat."**_

"Shane, is that you?" T-Dog asked. There was static, T-Dog pushed down the button on the C.B. "We're in deep shit. We're trapped in the department store. There are geeks all over the place. Hundreds of 'em. We're surrounded."

Nothing but static. T-Dog looked up at me from his spot on the low wall. "Think you can fix it again?" Before I could respond a clap of thunder caused me to jump, I looked up at the gloomy sky. I felt a cold raindrop fall of my face, I wiped it off and glanced up at the sky. It started raining...hard.

"Oh Man." I heard Morales mutter as he held his hand out, catching some raindrops in his hand. He picked up the binoculars and checked on them again. "It's just a cloudburst." Morales informed us. "We get 'em all the time. It'll pass real quick."

"I hope you're right." I said looking down at the street below.

Hearing Glenn scream made me lean over the low wall. I watched as Rick and Glenn hacked their way through the Walkers in their way as they run to the chain link fence between them and the construction site.

"Come on. Come on. Come on." Morales muttered.

Rick threw his axe over the fence. He and Glenn leaped up and over. Behind them the Walkers rushed forward and pile up on the fence. Rick and Glenn tear off their raincoats. I could hear gunshots. The both of them ran for a truck. One walker climbs over the fence and runs after them. Tires screeched. Rick backs the truck out, tires squealing. The Walker is thrown off but continues to pursue. The crowd of Walkers' weight pushes against the gate until it collapses. They push through and chase after them.

We watched as they drove away from where they were suppose to go.

"They're leaving us." Andrea said in disbelief.

"What? What?" Merle asked in panic.

"No no no no no. Where they going? Where they going?" Morales wondered, also in a panic.

"No no, come back." Andrea said.

The cube van broke through the construction site fence on the far side. Rick drove it through and around the corner. I pressed the button on my headset.

"Jay." I called, catching everyone's attention. "I know you hear me, asshole."

 _ **"...You stupid bitch! How come it took you so long to radio me back?!"**_

"Sorry." I said. "Listen, can you get in touch with Rick?"

 _ **"About Ricky boy, he told us about his little rescue mission and we're in."**_ Jay said. _**"But after that we are leaving for California, you got me?"**_

I was torn between the two. I wanted to see Mom again, but I owe Rick my life. I want to help him find his family. What do I do? What do I do? "We'll talk later." I said. I turned my headset off.

"So," Andrea started as she inched closer to me, "can this "Jay" person help us or not?"

"Yeah." I replied, brushing the feeling of regret off.

 _ **"Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street – Meet us there and be ready."**_ That was Glenn. I grabbed my bags and things, hooking things on my belt. I could hear a faint sound of a carl alarm and the sounds of Baby's horn.

"Come on! Let's go, let's go!" Morales shouted at us.

"Hey, you can't leave me here!" Merle shouted. Andrea, Jacqui, Morales and T-Dog pick up all their bags, as I pulled out my sword and tomahawk. We ran for the stairs. "I'm not fooling, man! Morales! Hey, man! Don't do this! Come on. Hey, that's my gun. You can't leave me. Don't leave me here, you guys." Merle shouted, pleaded.

"Morales come on." Andrea called out. I stopped. He was an asshole, but he didn't deserve to be left on top. I turned around and called for T-Dog. He stopped at the door while the rest of them run down the stairs. Morales goes back to the door. "I'm coming!" Morales shouted after Andrea. "We've gotta go!" he said to T-Dog.

"Morales! You can't leave me like this, man! Hey, T-Dog. No, man. You can't leave me, man." Merle said, panic in his voice. "You can't leave me here- Not like this. You can't man. It's not human. Come on, don't do this."

T-Dog groans in annoyance. I know T-Dog, it'll be so much easier to leave him up here.

"Come on, T. Come on!" Merle pleaded.

I pulled a bobby pin from my bun and tried to pick the lock on the cuffs.

"Come on, yeah!" Merle exclaimed in relief. "Yeah! Come on! Co—that's it! Yes! Come on, baby! Come on."

T-Dog stumbled and the key flies out of his hand across the roof right towards a drain pipe. Merle, T-Dog and I reached for the key as it bounces around before falling down the pipe. Clinking and clanging on the way down.

"Son of a bitch!" Merle spat, glaring at T-Dog. "You did that on purpose!"

"I didn't mean to!" T-Dog exclaimed truthfully.

"You lie! You did it on purpose!" Merle shouted. I turned back around and tried to pick the lock faster, only to have my arm grabbed. T-Dog placed my arm over his shoulders and held my belt to keep me up. T-Dog helps me over to the door before looking back at Merle.

"It was an accident!" He exclaimed.

"Don't leave me, man! Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" Merle shouted as he pulled on the cuffs. "You liar!" Merle yelled.

"Wait, T!" I demanded. "We can't leave him. Yes, this is what he deserves but we can't just leave him up here like this!"

"That cope would have my ass if I just left you up here with Dixion." T-Dog told me, he looked back at Merle. "I'm sorry. Man, I'm sorry." T-Dog said to Merle.

"Don't leave me!" Merle yelled out to us.

"I'm sorry." T-Dog said before pushing open the door.

"Damn you all!" Merle yelled.

T-Dog opened the door and we hobbled through the opening, the door closed behind us. The closed door muffled Merle's yelling. "Don't leave- Don't leave me!" T-Dog let go of me and goes back to the door and slams it shut all the way. He padlocked the chain hanging from the door jam. We can hear Merle's yelling grow faint the further we got down the stairs. _"You're gonna rot in Hell! You're gonna rot in Hell! Come back, man!"_ T-Dog placed my arm back over his shoulders and we both hobbled as fast as we could down the stairs.

"Wait a minute!" T-Dog screamed as we ran down the stairs. "Here we come! Don't leave us! Don't leave!"

We hobbled/ran through the sales floor and my eyes widened as the glass shattered. We took off running/hobbling as the Walkers came through the door, following us.

"Hey, wait for us!" T-Dog screamed.

We dashed through the store with Walkers chasing close behind us. We made it to the room where the others are waiting.

"They're here! Let's go! They're in here!" T-Dog yelled.

There was a bang on the door. They were all screaming at once as Morales, Andrea and Jacqui pulled the chain to get the garage like door open. "Go!" Morales yelled. They heave their bags up to Rick. He tossed them into the back, he grabs my hand and helped me in. He quickly makes his way back into the driver's seat. I can hear the undead growling and snarling as they got closer. T-Dog threw himself up into the truck. A crowd of Walkers came out through the hallway and to the truck.

"I'm in!" Morales told Rick.

Rick hits the gas while Morales lets down the back door. Rick revved the engine and drove off like a bat outta hell. Rick drove the truck down the highway. Morales goes up and sits in the passenger seat. Rick looked back at us, puzzled. Morales looked at T-Dog who is grimacing in pain. Andrea and Jacqui exchange a look.

"I dropped the damn key." He told them.

"He really did," I said in his defense. "he tripped believe it or not."

"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked.

I shrugged.

 _Where was Glenn?_


End file.
